Fourteen years of civil war has left massive destruction to Liberia, but the west African country's football legend turned presidential aspirant George Weah believes he is the right person to lead Liberia out of the mud.

"I am always successful in my work," said Weah, at a Sunday evening dialogue with media in his party's headquarters in Monrovia, a last moment push before Tuesday's elections.

"I can bring about change. The people have spoken and their voices must be heard," said 39-year-old Weah, dressed in deep blue suit, amidst noise and live stage performances of his supporters who had gathered outside the two-story building.

The 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, the only African to have won the coveted title, announced his intention to stand in the elections in November 2004 and is now considered a front-runner for the presidential race.

LIBERIAN SUCCESS STORY

Born in the urban slum of Clara Town near Monrovia and growing up playing football in poor neighborhoods, Weah's eventual transform into Africa's greatest footballer of all time is a rare Liberian success story, and the man himself a role model for millions of young Liberians, who have grown up seeing only devastation and despair.

But his critics have been questioning his limited education and lack of political experience. Weah himself dismissed the argument, saying: "If you look at some of the educated people and look at me, I am more decent than them."

"I have the same mind and intelligence I used when I was playing football and I think I can use the same on the job," he said, in clear defiance of those critical of his education and experience.

Weah said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, former South African president Nelson Mandela, and President John Kufuor of Ghana had given him some advice and believed that he can "make a difference" and would be a "good leader."

YOUNG VOTERS' FAVORITE

Many believe Weah's hope of nailing the Tuesday poll comes from the "neglected and abused" young voters, who make up the majority of the population. More than half of the country's 1.3 million eligible citizens who have registered to vote are aged under 32.

But Weah has dismissed such claims saying the election is "not about my popularity. People have been supporting me since my childhood. They are supporting me because they want a change not about my popularity."

WEAH'S PROMISES

Weah pledged that if elected, he would bring together all Liberians to sign a peace document in three months and restore running water, electricity and other basic social services such as reconstruction of roads which are in a deplorable state after 14 years of civil war from 1989 to 2003 that claimed 250,000 lives." Liberia is 43,000 square miles, but leaving from one end to another would take almost seven days and that is injustice," he said during a recent campaign trail of rural areas.

"Most of our farmer do not have road to bring their produce to market. In other places the roads are muddied," he lamented, adding "if we are educated, shouldn't we know that we should have good roads?"

Weah also pledged he will not condone corruption if elected. "My government will be open. Anyone found guilty of corruption will be dealt with in accordance with the law. If you are corrupt you will have to hang your boots."

ROOKIE VS VETERAN

But the hugely popular first-timer faces great challenges from political veterans, especially Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a former World Bank economist, in a field of 22 presidential candidates. The 66-yearl-old Harvard-educated grandmother ran for president in1997 and came in second.

Weah said he was "totally different" from Johnson-Sirleaf. "One, she is a woman and I am a man; two, she is older and I am younger; she is an old politician and I'm an new politician. At the same time I have never hurt humanity she did. I have never organized insurgency she did."

"When I am elected, I will prove to the world that I can make a difference. Many times people have doubted my ability but I have proven them wrong. When I am elected the world will see that I am the man of and for the people," he added.

Source: Xinhua